Apparatus for attaching flexible material to a frame

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for attaching flexible material to a frame, for example, canvas to a picture frame. The apparatus includes a framework to which there is mounted a table upon which the flexible material is laid. The material overlays a shear support face, and a clamp is adapted to clamp the material against it. A shear is adapted to run along the said clamped material to shear it off. A frame is placed on the table and then is pressed down against the flexible material to hold the two firmly in place. The clamp is then released. An alignment face adjacent to the support face and the table are relatively moved so that the edge of the flexible material is brought against the side of the frame. A stapler carriage provides a plurality of staplers, each of which has a trigger and is movable toward the edge of the frame so that only those staplers whose triggers contact the frame will fire a staple into the frame through the material so as to hold it in place.

United States Patent [191' Otteman et al.

[ Oct. 8, 1974 APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO A FRAME [73] Assignee: Go Controls I nc. Whittier, Calif.

Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm'Donald D. Mon

[5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for attaching flexible material to a frame, for example, canvas to a picture frame. The apparatus includes a framework to which there is mounted a table upon which the flexible material is laid. The material overlays a shear support face, and a clamp is adapted to clamp the material against it. A shear is adapted to run along the said clamped material to shear it off. A frame is placed on the table and then is pressed down against the flexible material to hold the two firmly in place. The clamp is then released. An alignment face adjacent to the support face and the table are relatively moved so that the edge of the flexible material is brought against the side of the frame. A stapler carriage provides a plurality of staplers, each of which has a trigger and is movable toward the edge of the frame so that only those staplers whose triggers contact the frame will fire a staple into the frame through the material so as to hold it in place.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED 81974 I 3.840.167

SHEET 10F 2 APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO A FRAME This invention relates to means for applying flexible material to a frame.

It is surprisingly expensive to apply canvas to rectilinear frames. Presently, it is necessary to wrap the canvas around each side by hand and then to tack or staple it in place. There is no presently known means for accomplishing this in an automated machine wherein the necessary operations can be done sequentially and swiftly, and wherein the material can be applied with a minimum of hand work. In fact, on the machine shown in the drawings, each side can be fully attached in a squence, taking approximately only 3 seconds.

The apparatus of this invention includes a table which supports the flexible material and frame, a clamp which holds an end of the material while a cutter shears it squarely, means relatively moving the table and an alignment surface which brings the edge of the material against the edge of the frame, and a plurality of staplers mounted to a stapler carriage, each of which staplers has a trigger, whereby the staplers are brought as a group toward the table, and only those which abut the frame will fire a staple into it.

According to a preferred but optional feature of this invention, sequencing means causes drive means to accomplish the foregoing sequentially and automatically.

The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed descrip-. tion and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left-hand side elevation, partly in cutaway cross-section, of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are side elevations, partly in cutaway cross-section, showing a sequence of events;

FIG. 7 is a block flow diagram showing the sequence of wvents as controlled by sequencing means; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of a portion of FIG. 1.

The apparatus 10 includes a framework 11 which stands on the floor, and to which the components of the apparatus are mounted. A pair of uprights 12, 13 act to support various parts of the invention. A pair of frame extensions l4, 15 supports a pair of bearings 16, to which a table 17 is pivotally mounted for arcuate motion as shown by are 18. A bias spring 19 biases the table to its uppermost, first, position shown in solid line in FIG. 2. Its lower, second. position is shown in dashed line. The top 20 of the table is preferably made of trans parent material, such as glass, for a reason which is yet to be disclosed.

A shear bar 25 is attached to and extends between uprights l2 and 13. It has an upper shear support face 26, and an alignment face 27 which projects vertically downward adjacent support face 26. In the upper position of the table, as shown in solid line, the elevation of the free edge 28 of the top is about even with that of the support face 26. When a piece of flexible material 30, such as canvas, is to be attached to an edge 31 of a frame 32, the material is laid on the table as shown in FIG. 4 with its free edge overhanging a shear edge 35 of the shear bar, and overlapping face 26.

A shear track 36 is mounted between the uprights, and a block 37 rides on this track. An upward extension 37a of block 37 carries a bogey wheel 37b, and the extension is attached to drive means as will later be described. A cutter 38 is rotatably mounted to the block and is, therefore, axially reciprocable along the shear edge to which it is adjacent. Alternatively, it could cut directly against the shear support face.

The cutter is preferably a cutter wheel with a sharp cutting edge 39. A spring 40 biases the cutter wheel toward and against the shear edge so it will neatly cut the edge of the flexible material as it is moved along the shear bar (left-right or right-left in FIG. 1). The means for causing this motion is best shown in FIG. 3. Shear drive means 45 is mounted in upper cross-member 46. The shear drive means may comprise a piston cylinder motor, to which a flexible cable 47 is attached. The cable wraps around a set of pulleys 48 and connects at its ends to extension 37a of block 37. Bogey wheel 37b rides along a support 370 to keep the block from cocking. Therefore, back and forth motion of the'piston within the cylinder (as a consequence of application of fluid power) will move the cable and the block and the cutter from side to side to cut the material. Thecutter need make only a single pass to make a cut, and will move in alternate directions from cut to cut.

A clamp 50, best shown in FIG. 2, comprises an elongated bar 51, which overlays the shear support face 26. It can be lifted clear of it, or can be pressed against it. Clamp drive means 52 may comprise a plurality of piston cylinder assemblies, eachhaving a piston rod 53 which is spring-loaded upwardly in FIG. 2 and extensible downwardly by virtue of appropriately applied fluid pressure. The bar acts as a foot which, when pressed down by rod 53'against the flexible material, will hold it firmly clamped against support'face 26. This holds it while it is being cut by the cutter, and will release it when the clamp drive means itself is released by venting the actuating pressure to the motor. a

A press 54 overlays the free end of the table top. Press drive means 57 comprises a plurality of piston cylinder assemblies, each having a piston rod 58 which is spring-loaded upwardly, but which can be moved downwardly by appropriately applied fluid pressure. The press comprises a bar 59 attached to rods 58, and which extends across the face of the apparatus between the uprights. It is adapted to act as a foot to press against the edge of frame 32 so as to hold it down firmly against the material and against the top of the table. Furthermore, it may apply such pressure and have such dimensions that the table will be moved downwardly to the lower, second, position shown fragmentarily' in dashed line in FIG. 2, and more completely in FIG. 6, for purposes yet to be described. When fluid pressure is released from the press drive means, bias spring 19 will return the table to its upper position.

A carriage 65 is pivotally mounted by bearings 66 to the uprights, and carries with it a plurality of staplers 67. Each stapler has a trigger 68, and the staplers and the respective triggers are adapted to be swung in are 69 toward and away from apertures 70 in alignment face 27 so that the staplers can pass through the aper tures and fire a staple into the frame wherever the frame is positioned so that it contacts a trigger. Where there is no frame, the trigger is not contacted, and no staple is fired. A staple supply 71 feeds staples to the gun.

Stapler carriage drive means 75 comprises a piston cylinder motor which may be bi-directionally powered, or, if preferred, may be equipped with a spring return toward the position of FIG. 2, and moved by fluid power to the position shown in FIG. 6. The drive means has a piston rod 76 connected to the carriage by bearing 77 to accomplish this movement. It is mounted to the framework by bearing 78.

It is evident that sequence means may be provided for sequencing the operation of the various drive means to accomplish the objectives of the invention. Particular designs for the sequencing means are well within the capacity of a paerson skilled in the art, and need no detailed description here. Suffice it to say that customarily a source of fluid power, such as compressed air, will be made available for driving the various drive means, and a sequence start means will be connected to sequencing means 80, which may be a simple logic valve system. The first step is the application of power to the clamp drive means to hold the canvas in place against the shear support face 26. Following the conclusion of that movement, which may be detected by limit switches or otherwise which form part of the sequencing means, the shear drive means will next be driven, and the end of its motion across the face'of the device would be detected by a limit switch, Following this, the sequencing means relieve pressure in the clamp drive means and will direct power to the press drive means, which will force the frame against the canvas, and the canvas against the table. The table will move down, and the conclusion of its motion will be detected by a limit switch which forms a part of the sequencing means. Following this, with the table held down, the sequencing means will actuate the stapler carriage drive means to move the staplers toward the apertures, and the appropriate staplers will fire. At the end of this carriage movement, which can be detected by appropriate limit switch means, a stop signal can be given to break the power circuit and vent all of the drive means, whereupon the clamp drive means, press drive means and carriage drive means will all withdraw their rods, and the system is ready for the next cycle. Alternatively, the system may be controlled by a power switch manually held closed, and released at the end of the cycle. The frame is rotated, and the sequence is repeated at the other frame faces, although on some of them, cutting of the flexible material may not be needed.

The scheme of operation of this device will best be understood by reference to FIGS. 4, and 6. FIG. 4 shows a first position with the table spring-loaded up and receiving a piece of canvas which may have been slit from a roll to approximate dimensions. Its free edge rests upon the shear support face 26, overhanging the shear edge. The frame .32 is brought into abutment with the edge of bar 51 to position it properly. This is the initial position.

The next position is shown in FIG. 5 wherein clamp drive means 52 has been actuated to move bar 51 down against the flexible material to hold it rigidly in place, and the shear drive means is actuated so as to run the cutter along the edge and shear off the excess neatly at that place.

The third position is shown in FIG. 6 wherein'the clamp has been released by the clamp drive means, and the press drive means has been actuated to press the bar 59 down against the frame. This will have the effect of dragging the free edge of the canvas into the spacing 81 between the alignment face and the edge of the frame, which spacing has been correctly gaged by the initial abutment of the frame against bar 51 before the press was applied to it. It will be understood that this is a relative movement between the alignment face and the table which could have been accomplished by moving the alignment face instead of by moving the table (or by moving both of them). However, the arrangement shown has the merit of simplicity. After this illustrated position is reached, the stapler carriage drive means is actuated so that the staplers swing in and enter all of the apertures 70. Depending on the length of the edge of the frame and the size of the machine, many of these apertures will not open onto the edge of the frame. Of course, it is not desirable for staplers to fire where the staple would not enter the frame, because the staples are not needed, and they would be wasted. Therefore, wherever the frame faces a stapler, a respective trigger will fire its respective stapler, and it will drive a staples 82 into the frame. The term strikes the edge of the frame has been used to define the interaction between the trigger and the frame structure. Of course, the contact may be, and usually will be, against the flexible material, and through it against the edge. Also, by the term edge is meant the illustrated surface into which the staple is to be driven, and also the dihedral edge of the frame, and the top adjacent to this surface. The term staple is used to indicate any element which is driven into the frame so as to attach flexible material to it. This term includes nails and tacks, as well as the commonly known U-shaped or T- shaped staples.

There is thus provided an elegantly simple machine which can expeditiously perform the intended function. The sequence can be carried out by individual hand controls or by the sequencing controls heretofore described. The entire sequence of attaching the material to each edge need take only a few seconds, and because of the arrangement of dragging the flexible member into spacing 81, the canvas will be drawn tightly onto each of the four sides as they are processed. With very little instruction a person can do skillful and rapid attachment of canvas to frames.

When a transparent table top is used, with a light projecting upwardly, it is possible expeditiously and accurately to apply already painted pictures to frames, because the regions not covered by paint can readily be seen from the back and aligned relative to the frame. The light passing through the canvas creates the neces sary contrast to indicate the relative locations.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiments shown in the drawings and described in the description, which are given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.-

We claim:

1. Apparatus for attaching a flexible sheet to the edge of a rigid frame, comprisingia framework; a table supported by the framework, said table having a top and a free edge; a shear bar mounted to the frame adjacent to said free edge, said shear bar including a shear support face and an alignment face, the alignment face being spaced from said free edge; a clamp reciprocable toward and away from said shear support face; a shear cutter movable adjacent to said shear support face so as to shear a flexible member clamped against the shear support face by the clamp; a press adjacent to the alignment face and overlaying the table, whereby to press the frame against the sheet and against the table, said alignment face and table being movable relative to one another, whereby the edge of the-flexible member can be interposed between the edge of the frame and the alignment face with the said frame edge held firmly in place by the press; a stapler carriage movable toward and away from said table; a plurality of staplers mounted to said carriage for such movement; and trigger means connected to each stapler and contactible with the edge of the frame when in the path of the respective stapler, whereby to actuate only those staplers which will inject a staple into the edge of the frame, whereby an end of the flexible member may be rested on the table and also atop the shear support face, the clamp may be brought against the flexible material so as to press it against the shear support face, the cutter may be run along the material to shear off the excess, the alignment face and the press may be brought against the frame to hold it against the flexible material and against the table, the clamp may be released and the alignment face and table relatively moved so as to press the flexible memberagainst an edge of the frame, between said frame edge and the alignment face, and the stapler carriage may be moved such that the staplers as a group approach the table, and those staplers whose triggers contact the edge of the frame will drive a staple into the frame to attach the flexible material thereto.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which clamp drive means is interposed between the clamp and the framework to move the clamp, in which shear drive means is interposed between the cutter and the frame to move the cutter, in which a press drive means is interposed between the framework and the press to force it against the frame and press it toward the table, and in which carriage drive means is interposed between the framework and the stapler carriage to move the sta- 6 pler carriage toward and away from the table.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the alignment face includes a plurality of apertures, one of which is in alignment with each respective stapler, whereby the staplers may pass through the alignment face to drive staples into the frame.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the cutter is a cutting wheel;

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the free edge of the table is movable to provide for said relative movement between the table and the alignment face.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the table is pivotally mounted to the framework so that its free edge moves in an arc adjacent to the alignment face.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the alignment face includes a plurality of apertures, one of which is in alignment with each respective stapler, whereby the staplers may pass through the alignment face to drive staples into the frame.

7 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which bias spring means biases the table to a position toward the press, and the press overcomes the bias to move it to a lower position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which clamp drive means is interposed between the clamp and the framework to move the clamp, in which shear drive means is interposed between the cutter and the frame to move the cutter, in which a press drive means is in terposed between the framework and the press to force it against the frame and press it toward the table, and in which carriage drive means is interposed between the framework and the stapler carriage to move the stapler carriage toward and away from the table.

10. Apparatus according toclaim 9 in which the table is pivotally mounted to the framework so that its free edge moves in an arc adjacent to the alignment face.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the cutter is a cutting wheel. 

1. Apparatus for attaching a flexible sheet to the edge of a rigid frame, comprising: a framework; a table supported by the framework, said table having a top and a free edge; a shear bar mounted to the frame adjacent to said free edge, said shear bar including a shear support face and an alignment face, the alignment face being spaced from said free edge; a clamp reciprocable toward and away from said shear support face; a shear cutter movable adjacent to said shear support face so as to shear a flexible member clamped against the shear support face by the clamp; a press adjacent to the alignment face and overlaying the table, whereby to press the frame against the sheet and against the table, said alignment face and table being movable relative to one another, whereby the edge of the flexible member can be interposed between the edge of the frame and the alignment face with the said frame edge held firmly in place by the press; a stapler carriage movable toward and away from said table; a plurality of staplers mounted to said carriage for such movement; and trigger means connected to each stapler and contactible with the edge of the frame when in the path of the respectivE stapler, whereby to actuate only those staplers which will inject a staple into the edge of the frame, whereby an end of the flexible member may be rested on the table and also atop the shear support face, the clamp may be brought against the flexible material so as to press it against the shear support face, the cutter may be run along the material to shear off the excess, the alignment face and the press may be brought against the frame to hold it against the flexible material and against the table, the clamp may be released and the alignment face and table relatively moved so as to press the flexible member against an edge of the frame, between said frame edge and the alignment face, and the stapler carriage may be moved such that the staplers as a group approach the table, and those staplers whose triggers contact the edge of the frame will drive a staple into the frame to attach the flexible material thereto.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which clamp drive means is interposed between the clamp and the framework to move the clamp, in which shear drive means is interposed between the cutter and the frame to move the cutter, in which a press drive means is interposed between the framework and the press to force it against the frame and press it toward the table, and in which carriage drive means is interposed between the framework and the stapler carriage to move the stapler carriage toward and away from the table.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the alignment face includes a plurality of apertures, one of which is in alignment with each respective stapler, whereby the staplers may pass through the alignment face to drive staples into the frame.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the cutter is a cutting wheel.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the free edge of the table is movable to provide for said relative movement between the table and the alignment face.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the table is pivotally mounted to the framework so that its free edge moves in an arc adjacent to the alignment face.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the alignment face includes a plurality of apertures, one of which is in alignment with each respective stapler, whereby the staplers may pass through the alignment face to drive staples into the frame.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which bias spring means biases the table to a position toward the press, and the press overcomes the bias to move it to a lower position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which clamp drive means is interposed between the clamp and the framework to move the clamp, in which shear drive means is interposed between the cutter and the frame to move the cutter, in which a press drive means is interposed between the framework and the press to force it against the frame and press it toward the table, and in which carriage drive means is interposed between the framework and the stapler carriage to move the stapler carriage toward and away from the table.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the table is pivotally mounted to the framework so that its free edge moves in an arc adjacent to the alignment face.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the cutter is a cutting wheel. 